


The New Alice

by ETNMystic



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Autistic Character, Autistic OC, F/M, No Sex, Sorry Not Sorry, also didn't want to leave y'all in the dark about where i am, btw lydia is also a nickname for her, but yeah, cuz i'm ace, finals week sucks, i don't condone kidnapping either, i don't condone rape, i think i have a slight crush on jervis tetch, i'm also kinda projecting onto myself, jervis isn't a rapist in this fanfic, like a romantic crush, more or less an obsessed kidnapper, no sexy times, so is Olivia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-09-12 17:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16877034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ETNMystic/pseuds/ETNMystic
Summary: Jervis Tetch, master hypnotist, has escaped Arkham Asylum and is now out and about in Gotham, on the search for someone to stand in his sister’s place.Olivia Prestley, twenty year old autistic woman, has just moved to Gotham to get away from her abusive family and find treatment for another rare disorder she possesses, one that won’t kill HER.Under the circumstances, nothing seems to connect these two.But the circumstances aren’t always as they seem.





	1. Chapter 1

_Flick. Flick._

Olivia Prestley shivered, attempting to use a lighter to start up her fireplace as the nighttime thunderstorm tossed at her apartment. Matches, to her, were a waste of wood and a lot to handle if spilled. Unfortunately her lighter was no better.

“Damn it,” she hissed under her breath as she kept working the trigger.  
“Just ignite already. Why does everything have to be so disagreeable?"

All of a sudden, her cell phone rang, causing her to jump and drop the lighter. She absolutely hated sudden noises. Her family used to threaten her with them all the time, knowing that they would make her react.

It didn’t take her long to process what was happening. Hands trembling, she picked up her cellphone.

“Hello?” she asked.

_“Miss Prestley, this is Detective James Gordon from the Gotham City Police Department. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”_

“What is it?” 

_“I think it would be better if we talked face-to-face. Is there a chance you’d be able to come down to the station tonight?”_

“Do you need me there tonight?”

_“I’d prefer it.”_

“Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Hanging up, she typed GCPD into Google Maps and found that the station was only a ten-minute walk from her apartment. Grabbing her rain boots and coat as well as her purse, she headed out.

Unfortunately, being unfamiliar with the city as well as hating loud sounds, Olivia found it extremely difficult to even cross the road. She speed-walked, trying to make it as quickly as possible. 

_Thud!_

All of a sudden, she collided with something and fell to the ground. Or rather, with someone. The contents of her purse had been flung around, as she’d once again forgotten to close the zipper.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologized profusely as she began to gather her things.  
“I should’ve looked where I was going.”

Looking up at her collider, she was surprised to see a man in a top hat, bowtie, long brown hair and a slight shave. He looked at her, his eyes widened, and he smiled before giving a chuckle.

“It’s quite alright,” he assured her softly as he held out his hand to help her up.  
“No harm done, my dear.”

As he helped her up, she happened to glance at the numbers on his hat.

“10 over 6,” she remarked aloud, her eyes twinkling and an innocent, soft smile spread across her face.

“I’m sorry?” he questioned.

Blinking she looked at him and shook her head.

“Oh. It was just…….the numbers on your hat. Reminds me of that book  _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,”_ she reminisced fondly.

"I’ve always loved that story, particularly the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. It was my escape. I even had a slight fondness for the Hatter. Still do, actually. He seems like he’d be fun to be around."

“Indeed?” he chuckled.  
“I’ve been quite fond of the story myself since childhood.”

“Yeah….”

A few moments of silence passed before she remembered why she was out there in the first place. She proceeded to finish collecting her belongings.

“Sorry, but I, uh, I have to go. I have a meeting at the police station. Nothing too terrible I’m sure. I haven’t been here but a few days.”

“Ah, that’s why.”

“Why what?”

“Well,” he explained.  
“You see, I’m rather….well-acquainted with those residing in Gotham. When I saw you, I thought you looked familiar, but then I realized I thought wrong.”

“I don’t think there’s really a way to think wrong, except if it hurts or kills others.”

“Rather insightful, Miss……”

She stood there, waiting for him to finish before she realized what he meant.

“Oh, um, Prestley. Olivia Prestley.”

“Olivia Prestley,” he repeated fondly, as if it was a name he had heard before.  
“Would you like me to accompany you there?"

Smiling sweetly, she looked down at the ground.

“Oh, well, thank you. That’s rather kind of you, but I, uh, I think I’ve got it from here. Y’know? Google Maps and all. It’s not too far from here, but thank you so much for offering. Have a good night, sir.”

“You too, my dear,” he called as she walked off. 

He watched her go off, barely blinking. When she turned the corner, he smirked. 

“How fate can make one bubble and brew,” he chuckled.  
“Oh, dear Alice. I think it’s you.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Olivia entered the police station, drenched with rain. Awkwardly, she approached the front desk, as she tried to wipe off her glasses. Other cops and detectives worked at desks in the large room.

“May I help you?” the front desk receptionist asked.

“Um, yes. I was called in to talk to one Mr. James Gordon.”

“Well,” a deep voice from the doorway exclaimed.  
“Then you came to the right place.”

Looking up, Olivia saw a tired, middle-aged man with light hair. 

“You must be Olivia.”

“Yes, I assume you’re Mr. James Gordon.”

“Jim or Mr. Gordon is fine. Do you need a towel?”

He indicated to her hands. Glancing down, she noticed that her glasses were smudging up.

“Oh dear,” she sighed.  
“If it’s not too much trouble.”

“None at all.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dry cloth, handing it to her. She cleaned it off and handed it back to him.

“Thank you so much. So what is it you wish to see me about?”

“I’ll explain when we’re in the interrogation room. Don’t worry. You’re not in trouble.”

Gordon took her down several halls before opening a door. Then he went over and opened another. This one lead into a room containing a table and two chairs.

“Please. Have a seat,” he offered.   
“There’s something I want to inform you about.”

Sitting down across from him, she twiddled her thumbs a bit in nervousness.

“Now, I don’t want you to be alarmed, but—“

“Well, I wasn’t before,” she gasped.

“It’s nothing too serious. Just to bring it to your awareness. Anyways, are you familiar with Arkham Asylum?”

As she shook her head, Gordon pulled out a few files. 

“There was a breakout sometime ago, and now the residents are wandering the city. These files are normally confidential, but I had a feeling it might put your mind at ease if you know who to look for.”

Pulling out the first one, he flipped open to a page of a man with scars on the side of his face.

“The Joker, good with chemicals, in league with the Red Hood.”

The second one showed a woman in pigtails.

“Harley Quinn, formerly Doctor Harleen Quinzell, used to work for Arkham Asylum as a psychiatrist.”

The third showed a woman wearing all green.

“Poison Ivy, rumor has it she and Harley are dating now. As you can probably tell, she loves plants.”

But it was the fourth one that made her eyes grow.

“Jervis Tetch, also known as the Mad Hatter. Master Hypnotist, though his sister said it goes beyond that.”

“Where is his sister?”

“Dead. Died sometime ago. Impaled. It devastated him. Said that she was the only thing he loved.”

He showed her a picture of a woman with light hair.

“She…..kinda looks like me.”

Gordon held up the picture and inspected them for a few moments.

“I do see a resemblance. Of course you have glasses.”

“What was his sister’s name?”

“Alice. Alice Tetch. She had a rare blood disorder.”

“What was that?”

“They call it poisoned blood, but she said it affects everyone differently.”

Hearing this Olivia felt a chill run through her. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“It’s just…..it sounds similar.”

“What do you mean?”

Olivia tried to gather her words.

“Well, ever since birth, I’ve had this rare blood disorder. Whenever it comes into contact with someone’s skin, it…..changes them.”

“How did you know that?”

“I got tested a lot. My parents forced me to,” she replied shivering.  
“They knew I hated needles.”

Gordon sighed. Clearly there was more to this girl than he originally thought.

“Why did you come to Gotham?”

“I’m seeking treatment for the disorder…….and to get away from my family.”

“Were they abusive?”

“Putting it lightly, yes. That’s…..all I’d care to divulge on the matter for the present.”

Nodding, Gordon laid out all of the files.

“Now if you see any of them, I want you to let us know—“

“Him,” she exclaimed, pointing to the fourth file.  
“That’s him. The man I met earlier, I’m sure of it.”

Taken aback, Gordon pulled back the other three files.

“What do you mean?”

“On my way here, I ran into a man with dark hair, a top hat, a bow tie, and a shadow. I think that was him.”

“Where did you see him?”

She shook her head. 

“I don’t remember. Just somewhere on my way here. What does he do?”

“Usually hypnotizes people, but that’s all we know for now.”

At that moment, Olivia thought she saw a silhouette in the window. But if it was there, it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

“Am I in danger? I mean, if I look like his sister, wouldn’t there be a chance he’d come after me?”

“I want to say no, but this is Jervis Tetch. I’d say that is a possibility, especially because he’s seen you.”

“So then what now? Suppose he finds out where I live.”

“We’ll make sure you’re protected. I don’t want to risk you being a target. I can give you a ride back, if you want.”

She nodded quickly and the two of them stood up.

* * *

It wasn’t that far of a ride, but it felt far for her. Now with this information in mind, Olivia’s anxiety was rising. 

“He wouldn’t kill me, would he?” she asked Gordon, her voice trembling.

Shaking his head, Gordon shrugged.

“I don’t know. What was your interaction with him like?”

Olivia thought back to that moment.

“Well, we accidentally collided into each other on my way here. I apologized and he told me it was alright. He had the numbers on his hat. 10 over 6, and I told him about how much I loved the book, particularly the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. After sometime I told him I had to go to the police station, and he volunteered to accompany me there, but I told him I was fine, but that it was kind of him to offer.”

“Then you probably won’t be killed.”

A bit of the anxiety lifted from her.

“However that means you risk being kidnapped. When I get back to the station, I’m gonna call in a cop to patrol the grounds tonight. If Jervis is looking to kidnap you, it won’t be as likely.”

They stopped in front of her apartment.

“How…..powerful is his hypnosis?” she hesitated.

“I don’t know,” Gordon sighed.

“He got into your head once, didn’t he?” she responded intuitively.

Gordon tried to cut those memories out of his mind, but it was difficult.

“Made me a prisoner in my own skin. But he seems to want me dead. I doubt it’s the same for you. Highly doubt it.”

They sat in silence for a few moments more before Olivia tentatively exited the car. 

“Thank you so much, Mr. Gordon,” she breathed.

“No problem,” he shrugged.  
“If you still feel you’re in danger, just give a call. The cop should be here soon. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

The car drove away as she entered the apartment door. Once she was safely inside, Gordon turned and drove back. But once he arrived, he was greeted by a horrific sight. 

The front of the building was deserted, as if everyone had run off in a hurry. Papers were scattered everywhere, desks flipped upside down. Fearing the worst, Gordon ran into the interrogation room. It was also a mess. On the ground by the back wall was a note;

_Dr. Gordon, welcome home._

_Within Gotham I do roam.  
_ _This room which is in quite a sight  
_ _Is where with my sweet you spoke tonight._

_Send a cop, it will come back._

_And sanity is what you’ll lack.  
_ _But with all of that it’s all the same.  
_ _Time for us to play a game.  
_ _-JT_

His heart dropped into his stomach. Dashing out of the station, he skidded to a halt to find that his tires had been slashed. All he could do was go by foot with his gun on his person, and hope for the best. 

 

Olivia, feeling the adrenaline from the news, returned to her apartment. Taking out the key as she hummed a little tune, she turned the knob and opened it carefully. 

The minute she stepped inside, something felt off. Incredibly off. She felt like she wasn’t alone. She felt something under her shoes. She looked down and found a pile of sticky notes. Picking them up, she read quietly

_Twinkle Twinkle pretty girl._

_However did you find my world?  
_ _I wish to make your acquaintance more.  
_ _I have many surprises stocked in store._

_Games, what games, they are such fun._

_Let’s start a game for everyone.  
_ _Don’t hesitate. Just take my hand.  
_ _And we will rule Wonderland._

 

Her heart was palpitating violently and the blood drained from her face. Now she was CERTAIN that she wasn’t alone. Shuffling as quietly as she could through her bag, she took out her cellphone and tried to call Mr. Gordon back. 

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” a voice gently warned her.

In shock she nearly dropped her phone. 

Turning around, she spotted a figure in the shadows. 

“Haven’t you heard that it’s tea for two?”

Slowly the figure stepped out revealing, to her heart’s misfortune, the man she ran into before. He was smiling with a mix of villainous triumph and schoolboy fondness.

All of a sudden, the door behind her slammed shut. She tried to open it, but almost immediately found it to be blocked.

“Oh please don’t be like that, my dear,” he sighed.  
“You’ve only just arrived here.”

Tears falling down her face, Olivia turned back to face Jervis Tetch.

“You. You’re him. The master hypnotist,” she gasped breathily.  
“You were the figure watching me at the police station! Get out!”

“Oh? What happened to you being so kind to me? Remember. You even called me sir.”

“What do you want with me?”

Stepping towards her, he chuckled.

“Such…..naivete. It’s quite a delight. You’re so adorable especially tonight. Isn’t it obvious? Well, if not, I have another question for you.”

Almost like lightning, he reached behind him and pulled out a ticking pocket watch.

“Can you hear that? The ticking? How it synchronizes with your heartbeat?”

It began to get into her head.

“I know eye contact may be…uncomfortable for you, dearest, but I want you to see my eyes as a comfort, not as an overload. Look right into my eyes, my sweet. All of your anxieties melt away when you look into my eyes.”

She tried to resist it, but his voice and power were incredible. His eyes were indeed a comfort. Her mouth began to turn upward into a smile. 

“You are becoming very relaxed, the most relaxed you have ever been. You feel weightless. Nothing will harm you, not as long as I’m with you. You are safe with me, and you always will be."

The ticking began to slow down as it synchronized with her heartbeat. 

“Now whenever I snap my fingers, or whenever you hear the ticking of my watch, you will immediately return to this deep state of hypnosis. You will be open to my suggestions, very open. However, you may deny any sexual acts if you do not feel comfortable. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she replied dreamily.

“Very good. Now I want you to close your eyes, and when you feel someone pick you up, you will drop into a deep sleep. You will have the most wonderful dream you’ve ever had. You will wake up when I tell you to.”

She shut her eyes. Tiptoeing past her, Jervis opened the door, letting the Terrible Tweeds inside. 

“Is this her, boss?”

“Yes,” he sighed lovingly.  
“She will be perfect. I’ll give her everything those bastards took from her. Once she and I are married, I will wreck havoc on this city for taking the life of my dear sister. I’ll make it my playground and Olivia’s as well. Pick her up and we’ll take her to the lair.”

Once the bigger of the Tweeds picked her up, she dropped into a noticeably deeper sleep. Satisfied, Jervis and the Tweeds left the apartment with the Sleeping Beauty.

 


	3. Chapter 3

_Wake up._

Slowly, Olivia regained consciousness until her eyes fluttered open. It took her a moment to realize that she didn’t have her glasses on and she panicked.

“Do not worry, dear,” a soothing voice assured her as her glasses came into view.  
“I have them right here."

They were placed upon her face and she gasped as she realized, this wasn’t her apartment. The room was much nicer.

“What? Where am I?” 

“Welcome home, my dear,” the voice exclaimed.

She whirled around and yelped to see Jervis looking at her tenderly.

“I’m so glad that you’re here.”

“You!” she gasped.

“Yes, me!” he laughed.  
“Jervis Tetch.”

Fearful, she hid under the covers, tears coming to her eyes.

“Oh, please don’t be like that, my dear,” he begged.  
“It breaks my heart to see you in fear.”

“I want to go home.”

“My love, you ARE home.”

“Where?”

“Wonderland, of course.”

“I mean, my REAL home.”

“This IS your real home,” he insisted.

“Are…..are you going to keep me here and make me into Alice?”

Jervis considered this.

“Yes, and no,” he replied.   
“Keep you here with me, yes. Make you into Alice, we digress. No, I was planning another. Perhaps we….can help each other.”

She peeked out of the covers with an almost childlike sadness and confusion.

“What do you mean?”

Sighing he reached a hand out and gently caressed her face.

“I know…..what those terrible people did to you…..the last two decades were hell to be true. Your life was left with pain and sorrow. Days where you’d wished you wouldn’t see tomorrow.”

“How……did you know?”

“Oh, Lydia, I know many things.”

He reached out and grabbed her hand, gently caressing it.

“You have such….delicate and soft hands. Like a princess. Or a doll.”

Lydia was left confused and frightened. Pulling away, she hid under the covers.

“Oh, please don’t be like that. As I told you, it pains me to see you so scared.”

“Then shut your eyes,” she replied as he pulled the covers away slightly.

Hearing this he gave a little chuckle.

“Oh no. Oh no no no no no no. No. I could never. I wouldn’t want to miss a second of your lovely face, my dear Lydia. Not ever.”

“Pretty, my ass,” she scoffed.  
“Don’t try to flatter me."

This left Jervis confused.

“Well, it is. Your face is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. You have a youthfulness about you, a sort of….innocence, if you will; it’s one not many people in this world carry. How did you keep ahold of it even when they emotionally abused you?”

“I dunno,” she shrugged.  
“Hope, I guess. Hope and escapism. But can I PLEASE go back to my apartment?”

“I’m sorry, but….I can’t let you leave. The world out there…...is far too cruel for someone like you to be in it.”

“Someone like me?”

“Yes,” he replied tenderly.  
“Someone…...childlike, wide-eyed, hopeful, still sweet and innocent, still curious, creative. See when the world finds even a small spec of light, it extinguishes it. I can’t let that cruel world extinguish you.”

There was a moment of silence as Lydia tried to slink back under the covers, but Jervis caught it, flipping the covers back. 

“My dear, how long are we going to play this game? The result will always be the same. I know this may seem rather strange, but think of it as a scenery change. Speaking of, with some success.”

Standing up, he trotted over to the wardrobe and flung it open before pulling out a dress. It was blue and white, not unlike the Alice dress from  _Alice in Wonderland._

“My dear, I made you a dress.”

Gently tossing it towards her, he turned back around and pulled out a black headband with a bow, a pair of pressed, white socks, and shiny black Mary Janes.

“I’ll give you some time.”

He then exited out the bedroom and shut the door softly. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead. Just never got around to finishing the chapter until now.

Silence filled the room for some time as she sat on her bed, dress in hand. She kept looking between the garment and the bedroom. It wasn’t really prisonesque. On the contrary, it was elegantly decorated with flower, butterflies, a canopy over the poster bed. It really wasn’t as bad as she thought. 

“Well,” she sighed reluctantly.  
“I might as well make the best of things. It’s unlikely he’s gonna let me out of his sight in the first couple of days. But I’d love to take a shower or a bath first.”

All of a sudden, as if to answer her wish, a door on the far left opened. Shocked, it took Lydia sometime to regain her composure before curiously checking out the room.

“How peculiar,” she remarked.

In front of her was a large tub, or rather a pool, shaped like a heart. On the side were an array of shampoos, conditioners, bubble baths, body washes, and the like. The room was well-lit and it felt as if she was in a fairytale. 

Shrugging, she stepped out and proceeded to wash. When she was finished, she felt rather rejuvenated. Her depression and anxiety seemed to have subsided, replaced by curiosity. 

Fitting into the dress wasn’t a struggle. It was quite comfortable, but she shyed away from looking in the mirror. She was fairly plus-sized and it was one of her insecurities, lowering her self-esteem. But even with shying away, she did look a bit like the cartoon ingenue from Wonderland. Not entirely a surprise, though. When she’d been a theatre major, before having to move away, she managed to discover a pattern of the roles that she’d been cast in during class; she was often cast as the sweet, innocent, young, idealistic ingenues or character ingenues. At the very least, she found that roles that were considered to be rather sweet, innocent, and idealistic dreamers came rather easy to her. Was that why Tetch had picked her? Had she really carried this sort of innocence over to adulthood with her as he claimed? She thought otherwise, but a lot of people said the same thing.

Her curiosity suddenly got the best of her. What other surprises were there in store? Tiptoeing over, she quietly opened the door and nearly stumbled backwards upon the sight. 

The whole place looked to be some sort of wonderful Escher maze. How on earth was that possible? Tetch didn’t seem like the type to employ Escher’s art, but perhaps it was best not to judge. The prospect of it, however, frightened her. Wouldn’t she fall while trying to go through the Escher maze? And even just looking at it made her feel rather disoriented. Thankfully, the hallway somehow sensed this and soon enough, it was realigned to resemble a typical hallway. But it still made her feel discomforted that she was here in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she walked around. 

The hallway was quite nicely decorated with pastels and had flowers on the walls, mostly roses. The carpet was a brilliant grass green, and she ended up staying in there awhile, looking at nearly every inch of it. Moments later, she heard the sound of a tea kettle whistling coming from the roommate the end of the hall. Curious, she ran up ahead. Peeking inside, she saw a lovely garden-esque room and inside, turning down the stove was Jervis in his Mad Hatter attire. Not too far from it was a rather long tea party table with various delectables and cups and plates. She was rather timid about entering. Was he going to do something terrible to her? Was this just to set her up before killing her?

“You know I would never kill you, my dear.”

She gasped as Jervis spoke so casually, as if she’d had spoken this aloud. 

“Don’t be frightened. You can come in here.”

Cautiously she walked into the room as Jervis took the tea over to the table and poured it into the cups. Once he finished, he placed the kettle back on the stove and turned to look at her.

“You look beautiful,” he gasped lovingly.

Lydia’s eyes fell to the floor, ashamed at the compliment. 

“Oh,” Jervis sighed mourningly.

Reaching down, he gently took ahold of her chin and nudged it up to meet his eyes.

“I see it in your face. Your self-esteem died in that place. All the more reason you need to stay with me.”

Using his thumb, he gently caressed her cheek. Her stomach jumped and her cheeks began to turn red. She pulled away, too shy to meet his gaze. 

“On another note, would you like some tea? It’s peppermint.”

This sparked her intrigue. Peppermint was her favorite, indeed. And if Jervis was lying and planned to poison her, at least she’d die comfortably. Shyly she nodded. 

“Excellent,” Jervis smiled as he went over to a soft-looking armchair and pulled it out.   
“For you, my love.”

Her cheeks began to turn even more red. Keeping her head down, she gently sat in the chair. The second she did, she knew she would have a difficult time getting back up. It was one of the softest chairs she’d ever sat in. She heard a small clink in front of her as Jervis set down a nice, warm cup of peppermint tea. As he sat down in a chair next to her, she took a sip. It wasn’t too sweet, but not so bitter. It was a rather subtle peppermint taste, but a strong one as well. Something she didn’t mind for a change and actually became fond of.

“I take it you like it,” he commented happily.

She nodded. 

“Whenever they gave me tea, it was always so bitter,” she confessed.  
“They told me I wouldn’t be able to have anything to eat until I drank it all, so I ended up trying to deal with it. They did feed me afterwards. It’s kind of a sensory thing for me. I can’t handle tea that’s too better. It feels like pine needles in my mouth.”

“It’s a tragedy that no one could see.”

“Emotional abuse is rather insidious in that regard,” she sighed sadly.  
“Though it makes me wonder; why would you pick me? What makes you connect an autistic woman who’s been emotionally abused with innocence?”

“That,” he replied.  
“Is an interesting query. I, myself, may have a theory. As you said idealism and hope were what kept you from falling off your rope. Though I suppose what made me realize was when I looked into your eyes. You still have that spark that the innocent do. I suppose that’s why I fell for you.”

“Did she have it too?”

“Who?” 

“Alice? Your sister?”

He looked at her intrigued.

“Who told you I had a sister?”

“A man named James Gordon.”

“Of course,” he nodded matter-of-factly.   
“Yes, she did, particularly when we were younger, and just before I had her go with Dr. Strange. I’d…….prefer not to speak more on the matter just yet.”

“Oh,” Lydia exclaimed as she drank some more of the tea.

There were several more moments of silence. Lydia sat at the tea party table drinking her tea in small quiet sips. Occasionally she would set the porcelain cup aside and stare off dreamily into the distance. Or perhaps she would close her eyes, seemingly lost in another world entirely. It was an incredible skill; to go to another world, to fly with creatures that others thought mythical, to play with fairies and go on magical adventures, all without leaving the room. 

Jervis, meanwhile, found himself indescribably enamored by her once again. He knew for certain he had picked the perfect one to fall for. In spite of everything that had happened to her throughout her life, she kept the soul of a dreamer. There was no doubt in his mind that idealism and the innocence of childhood had stayed with her. She possessed this ethereal sort of charm about her that made his heart beat all the more. 

How he wished he could simply pause this moment in time and live it in an endless loop. It was an absolutely perfect one; he was happy. She was happy. He wondered how it would be better, but decided it was a fruitless venture. It couldn’t be anymore perfect, could it?

No sooner than he’d wondered that, Lydia began to hum a little tune, quietly. To her she’d always considered herself a merely sub-par singer. But to Jervis, she had the voice of an angel. Just the mere act of listening to her made his heart feel full again. And it felt even fuller than when……Alice had been alive. How was this possible? Alice was the love of his life, the very reason for his existence. Why was it that this girl that he barely knew made him feel more complete than his own flesh and blood did? He hadn’t the faintest idea. It was a mystery. One he was determined to figure out. 

And yet, he felt no rush to do so. He knew that life had its reasons for everything. There was a reason that Alice had been his sister. There was a reason that he had fallen for Lydia. And there was a reason she made him feel even happier than Alice had. If that reason wished to be found, life would give him a sign to find it. 

“Your voice is lovely,” he admitted lovingly.  
“Like an angel."

She stopped humming and turned away as her face turned bright red. 

“You’re not used to this, are you?” he replied sadly.

She shook her head. 

“I get embarrassed when it comes to compliments,” she confessed.  
“I feel like they’re not true, and I don’t like myself.”

His heart ached upon hearing this.

“Well then,” Jervis sighed.  
“Perhaps you and I could work on helping you believe in and love who you are.”

Cautiously Lydia looked up and for a brief moment, their eyes met. She smiled slightly.

“Really?” she whispered hopefully.

He nodded. 

“It would be my pleasure to help you, my dearest.”

All of a sudden, Lydia heard the sound of footsteps and she gasped loudly. 

“Do not worry, my love,” Jervis assured her gently.  
“It’s probably just the Tweeds muddling about.”

She wanted to believe him, but her intuition was telling her otherwise. And it was proven right when Jervis’ smile dropped. 

“Tetch!” 

It was Jim’s voice. Lydia whirled around and saw him along with other cops, guns cocked and at the ready.

“Let the girl go!” he called out.

All of a sudden, his smile re-emerged. Slowly he stood, clapping his hands. 

“Well done, Mr. Gordon,” he chuckled as he slowly stepped towards them.  
“It seems that you found your way through my new hideout. But I’m afraid it was a fruitless venture.

“Let the girl go,” Jim repeated in a rough growl. 

“I’m afraid I cannot,” Jervis replied matter-of-factly.  
“I will not let anyone take away my happiness, not again.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pocket watch.

“And that includes you.”

Immediately the cops began firing away, trying to get the watch to stop ticking. Lydia stood up, trying to dodge the on-coming crossfire before diving under the table. She covered her ears, shut her eyes, and began to rock back and forth. Muffled shouts made their way into her ears as tears fell down her face. The whole ordeal made her feel absolutely terrified. All of a sudden, someone grabbed her wrist and she yelped, trying to pull away. 

“Olivia!” Jim’s voice whispered.  
“We need to get you out of here.”

Before all of this, she would’ve gone with Jim in a heartbeat, but Jervis had shown her nothing but kindness, save for the hypnosis and kidnapping. And yet she knew that she couldn’t stay in some fantasy world forever. This only caused her to shut down even further. 

“Olivia!”

His voice began to sound echoey and distant as did the gunfire. Her head began to spin and before she knew it, darkness and silence overtook her.


End file.
